I wish to consider in Walker Buehler. I in all probability ought to lower my losses, chalk it up as a foul contract, and attempt to persuade myself on the subsequent pitcher the Crimson Sox declare off waivers. What’s Mauricio Llovera as much as? If he’s nonetheless throwing 98 mph sinkers, I is perhaps in.
Merely put, Buehler has not been good this season. He has a 5.45 ERA in 112.1 innings this season. He’s placing out a career-low 16.5% of hitters and strolling a career-high 10.8%. Because the king of in search of a silver lining in a Crimson Sox pitcher’s efficiency, Buehler is a troublesome one to defend.
The Crimson Sox, not less than with their actions, had a tough time defending Buehler as properly. After his final begin, the group introduced they’d be transferring him to the bullpen. Luckily, for an optimist/lunatic like myself, the position change is a chance to reassess the pitcher. What if Buehler is a distinct man out of the bullpen?
Sadly, after a single aid look, Buehler seems to be roughly like the identical man, not less than by way of method. He used all seven of his pitches, and didn’t see a significant bump in velocity in a shorter position. It was his first bullpen look, and he wanted to cowl a number of innings, so I’m prepared to disregard the dearth of velocity enhance for now. Nonetheless, he walked a hitter, gave up two hits and two runs, and couldn’t hold the Crimson Sox within the sport. Let’s see the way it seems to be in follow earlier than we bounce to conclusions.
Right here’s Trent Grisham with one out within the seventh inning.
The primary pitch is a fastball on the within nook for strike one. Good pitch.
Buehler follows it up with a slider that misses on the within edge to even the rely.
At 1-1, Buehler goes with the changeup that misses badly.
Buehler once more misses with a curveball for 3-1.
And Buehler once more misses badly to place Grisham on first base on 5 pitches. Whereas it’s just one at-bat, it appeared similar to his outings as a starter. Buehler is preventing himself somewhat than the hitter, and he’s handing out free bases consequently.
Aaron Decide comes up subsequent with Grisham on first.
At 0-0, Buehler goes with the cutter to watch out with a harmful hitter, however once more misses badly to fall behind 1-0.
At 1-0, Buehler misses for a sixth straight time. Now, down 2-0, he ought to search for a solution to induce weak contact and get out of the at-bat.
Now that’s higher. Buehler throws a sinker in on Decide’s palms that’s fouled off for a strike. Whereas the pitch is perhaps a tad excessive, it’s in an space the place it’s robust for a hitter to get round and hit laborious. At 2-1, Buehler can attempt to return inside, or go away from Decide with a slider or cutter.
A sweeper works as properly. It’s not the most effective sweeper Buehler has ever thrown with solely 13 inches of horizontal motion, nevertheless it will get the job finished as Decide is out in entrance. With two strikes, Buehler can return on the offensive and attempt to get Decide to broaden the zone.
Good pitch. Buehler goes to his curveball and locations it beneath the zone. Decide is in search of one thing laborious and comes up empty.
Let’s bounce forward to Paul Goldschmidt within the eighth.
He begins Goldschmidt with a cutter that’s above the strike zone for ball one.
Buehler doubles up on the cutter, and this one is best. Goldschmidt fouls it off to even the rely.
At 1-1, Buehler tries to go inside to jam Goldschmidt, however misses out over the plate. It’s far sufficient away that Goldschmidt takes it for a strike, nevertheless it’s not the place Buehler wished the ball to finish up. It does, nonetheless, arrange a breaking ball off the plate. A sweeper might be the only option.
He as an alternative elects to go along with a excessive fastball. It’s not a horrible pitch, nevertheless it’s too excessive to induce a swing. The rate can be simply okay at 93 mph.
At 2-2, Buehler tries to backdoor a sinker, however misses too far outdoors to convey the rely full. Goldschmidt hasn’t seen something mushy but, so a curveball or a slider within the zone would possibly freeze him. With no one on base and one out, it isn’t the tip of the world if he walks him, however selecting a pitch he can confidently throw within the zone might be the most effective plan of action.
With the rely full, it’s a cutter from Buehler that finds the center of the plate and is taken proper again up the center for a base hit. Once more, it’s not the worst pitch Buehler has ever thrown, nevertheless it’s one you anticipate many huge league hitters to deal with.
It’s just about the identical as what we’ve seen from Buehler this season. He made some good pitches to Aaron Decide to flee the at-bat after being down 2-0, however his lack of command put him in dangerous spots constantly. Whereas Buehler gained’t be requested to deal with many excessive leverage alternatives, I’d wish to see him simplify his arsenal. Decide one of many slider and sweeper. Having fewer motion profiles would possibly enable him to hone in his command. He’ll even have the luxurious of solely going through lineups one time, and doesn’t want a number of pitches to combine up seems to be.
As a lot as I wished to see one thing totally different from the veteran and persuade myself he is usually a weapon out of the bullpen within the postseason, I’m not seeing a lot to recommend that would be the case.
